Kraken - Revolutionary Bambu Lab AMS 2 Pro (Single Piece Remix)

Notice!

This is only compatible with the AMS 2 Pro only. Please view my other designs for designs supporting other AMS systems, there are plenty.

Buy Kraken

I've teamed up with a few different stores around the world offering the printed parts and everything you need for the build so you won't need anything outside of the kit:

• VisionToCreate3D (EU)

Kraken has a strict non-commercial license, it can only be sold with licensing through Hume Beam Engineering Solutions. 

About

Kraken is a revolutionary, highly reliable and enhanced drop-in main body replacement for the Bambu Lab AMS 2 Pro, a multi filament companion to the Bambu Lab X1/P1, H2 and A1 series printers. It combines the advantages of both Hydra and Python and uses a similar spool system as Python. You could say Kraken is a compact version of Python, fitting inside the original AMS 2 Pro box.

The Bambu Lab AMS 2 PRO internals are used, you just need to move over the parts; the four feeders, the two heaters, the rear motor, the RFID coils and the main board as well as the PTFE tubing and cables and temp/humidity sensor. 

Kraken supports all standard functions such as heating / drying and full RFID support as well as PTFE tubes replaceable from the top.

It features self-centering Double Helical gears from the small drive gear on each feeder to the enlarged spool gear. It's using the Bambu AMS 2 Pro internals only, no modification or additional parts are required, it's fully reversible. 

As the spools fully rest on standard 608 bearings on both sides of the spool holder, both the feeders and the AMS hub motor are offloaded, avoiding premature wear or AMS overload errors.

Cardboard spools, refills and various size spools are all compatible including 250 g sample spools and other odd-sized spools. Maximum spool width is around 70 mm with Kraken.

Kraken is fully printable; no extra parts are needed apart from the screws that come with your AMS.

The name Kraken is inspired by the mythological creature from Norse Mythology. I have other designs with names from Greek mythology (Hydra / Python / Icarus / Hercules) so I thought it was fitting.

The main changes / improvements over the standard AMS are:

• "Compact Python" - Uses Python tech but inside stock AMS box

• Compatible with all types of spools and sizes, up to around 70 mm wide.

• All spool diameters fit, from tiny sample spools up to 202 mm diameter spools.

• No need for spool weights.

• No need to rely on roller grip or worry about stuck spools.

• High torque self-centering double helical gears.

• Fully supports RFID in all spool slots.

• Perfect for odd-sized spools and cardboard spools

If you download the individual 3MF files in the files section, they are design files only and can be easily printed on any printer / slicer. If you get a warning that they do not come from Bambu Lab just ignore the warning, they were exported directly from my design software.

Leave feedback in the comments. Thanks!

Recommended Add-ons

These are all optional but recommended to maximize the capability of your Kraken AMS.

There is also a Kraken spool holder with a TPU edge for even more quiet operation made by official Kraken tester RifRaf:

• Kraken AMS spool remake with TPU outer rim

Discord Support 

If you need any help with the build or want to leave feedback you can join us on Discord:

• Discord - Hydra / Python / Kraken Mod Support

Our server is named “(Unofficial) QIDI Tech 3D Printers” so don't get confused when you join as it was initially setup for that brand of printers but we've expanded it to other brands and 3D printing in general as well as channels for some of my mods, it's where I generally hang out.

Support

All my designs and mods on Printables are free to use and remix. They have a non-commercial license. If you enjoy this or any of my other designs you can send me a small donation using the link below. Thanks :)

https://www.paypal.me/humebeamengineering

If you prefer Crypto/BTC you can send me a message.

If you send a donation, be sure to mention "Kraken - Revolutionary Bambu Lab AMS 2 Pro" in the comments box so I know which design it's from and you will be added to the list below.

Official Supporters

If you have donated $5 or more you will be added to this list as an official thank you from me and you will also be assigned a serial number, the list will be updated as often as possible.

You can request a custom serial number if you send a $20 donation or more. Cheers!

If you've bought Kraken from one of the authorized resellers you can also request a serial number by submitting a proof of purchase.

• Hume Beam #0001, Hume Beam #9999, Eleventeen #6677

• Guy H #0002, Kevin Pereira #0003, RifRaf #0004, eibo68 #0005, Vitek #0006, SirataXero #0007, David Andrizzi #0008

Get a Silica Dry Box with your serial number here:

Thanks again!

If you want to remain anonymous, leave a note with your donation. If I've missed your donation let me know.

FAQ and Technical Specs

“Does this work like an AMS?”

• Absolutely, it works just like the stock AMS except the spools are sitting in spool holders, driven by double helical gears rather than on top of rollers. This highly increases the reliability and versatility.

“Can I use multiple Krakens?”

• Yes, you can daisy chain up to four of them for a 16 spool AMS.

“Can I hot plug an AMS to a printer?”

• Normally this works fine but to be sure please shut down your printer before plugging in Kraken (or a stock AMS for that matter!), it is much safer for the electronics. It avoids electricity spikes that can potentially happen if there is a poor connection between the AMS bus cable (black cable from printer to AMS) and the AMS power board, which in turn can damage the AMS main board.

• Hot-plugging can actually damage the electronics (AMS main board) so plug everything in before you boot up the printer.

“Do I need a stock AMS?”

• Yes. You use those parts and transfer over to Kraken. All of the parts can be bought individually but it might be cheaper to just get an AMS rather than sourcing the parts individually, I haven't compared the prices.

“Does it support RFID tags?”

• Kraken fully supports the Bambu Lab spool RFID tags in all four spool slots.

“Can I use “AMS Savers / Filament Guides" with Kraken?”

• Absolutely, all AMS Savers and so called Filament Guides are supported.

“My spools do not retract fully and I get an error”

• This is not related to this mod but a general AMS issue but we get the question quite often. This is due to the yellow retract gear inside the feeder slipping so it won't fully retract the spool. 

• Please join us on Discord and view the stickies for a video walkthrough on how to fix it, it's easy.

“I get an AMS overload error”

• It could be that the feeder screws are overtightened, forcing it too close to the roller. If so, untighten a few turns.

• Check so that your spools run freely in the spool holder without restriction. 

• Check the spool holder slots (at the spool holder columns) for debris from printing it and clean it. 

• Make sure the bearings rotate normally. If you use the printed version, ensure they rotate smoothly as well. 

• Ensure you don't get any binding between the large spool gear and small feeder gear. 

• If you still can't sort it, please join us on Discord and we'll be happy to help.

“Can I get the source design files in step format?”

• The main Kraken step files are not available publicly. However, some files are available in step format, please view the remix tab.

BOM - Bill of Materials

You can print Kraken in just about any filament you like but if you intend to use the heaters / dryers I recommend printing it in ABS, ASA or higher.

For this reason and for reliability I recommend placing the AMS next to the printer.

Around 1100-1400 g of filament is required at the recommended print settings for the full build including four spool holders, depending on which filament you use.

I've printed most of the test builds in Prusament ASA.

Filament

• eSUN PLA+

• eSUN PETG

• Prusament Galaxy Black

Bearings (Optional, you can use the 3D printed version instead)

• 608-ZZ bearings (or 608-RS)

PTFE tubes (Optional)

You need about 1.5-2 m PTFE tube to cut to length but if you're upgrading you can just keep the old PTFE tubes, make sure they're not worn though. I recommend the stock Bambu PTFE tube which has an inner diameter of 2.5 mm and an outer diameter of 4.0 mm. Go for the AMS Hub / Custom Cut which is a single piece 4 m tube.

• Bambu Lab PTFE Tube 4 m 

The Hex Tools are superb for any 3D printer; I've had mine for years. They are particularly useful for the Kraken assembly.

• Hex Tools (1.5 mm - 3.0 mm) 

Warranty

Kraken does not void your warranty but be careful, especially with the AMS main board, use an antistatic wrist band. Although the mod is completely reversible and you can't tell the parts have been installed in Kraken, I take no responsibility and you're on your own. Be careful and take it slow, read this page twice before you start.

Before Printing Kraken

Make sure you dial in flow correctly before you start so that you are not over extruding.

The Bambu Lab printers usually do a pretty good with automatic flow calibration but it's best to confirm flow anyway, sometimes it is inaccurate. There are ways to do manual flow calibrations directly from Bambu Studio and Orca Slicer so you can use those.

Once you have done that, print these dovetail test joints. They're intended for another design but the tolerances are the same so it will work well:

• Python - Test Pieces

Print Settings

Most parts print without supports and I recommend using 4 walls and 30% infill for the main parts and 3 walls and an infill of around 15% for the rest of the parts. The spool rings can be printed with 2 walls and 10% infill to save some material.

The support boxes should be printed with 1 wall only and 5% infill. All this is prepared in the Print Profiles, including supports so you I recommend using these. There's a version without the support boxes available as well, in case you want to create your own custom supports or you can just delete them from the available print profile as per below.

Both versions of the front roller sleeves are included, if you know which version you have you can delete the extra set from the print profile. The same goes for the printable bearings, if you use real 608 bearings you can of course delete it as well.

Tip: The drive gear sleeves can be printed in TPU 95-98A (tested by me) for a much more silent operation but normal “hard” filament is fine too but will be slightly louder when it's switching spools, you might not notice a difference though as the AMS box is quite well insulated.

Support Boxes

Although the support boxes may seem wasteful, they are highly recommended as they prevent warping of the tall thin parts, especially the sidewalls of Kraken. They're set to just 1 wall and 5% infill in the Print Profiles and do not waste too much filament but of course add to the print time. And once you've completed the full Kraken print you don't have to throw them away, they're usable, stackable boxes you can store things in.

Assembly Instructions

View the assembly guide on the page below or by downloading the PDF in the files section.

• Kraken - Revolutionary Bambu Lab AMS 2 Pro

Renders

Just to showcase the different spool holder options, the two spool slots on the left use the spool rings while the right use the adaptive spool holder that's an optional add-on, it's linked near the top of the page.

The install also shows the set with heat deflecting covers for the feeders, PTFE tubes and the motor, these can be useful when a top mounted dryer is installed and running, for example the Eibos Tetras or Sunlu AMS heater. The cover set is also an optional add-on linked from this page near the top.